Abstract
This study was carried out to examine the effect of Red LED (660 nm) and fluorescent lamp for night break (NB) treatments of each 3 hours (22:30-01:30), 4 hours (22:00-02:00) and 5 hours (21:30-:02:30) per day for 53 days on flower bud initiation and growth in Chrysanthemum cv. 'Baekma' and cv. 'Jinba'. The days to flower budding after short-day treatment in 'Baekma' was longer at fluorescent lamp 4 hr (21.0 days) and 5 hr (20.5 days) NB, and it was shorter at Red LED 3 hr (14.2 days). The days to flowering after short-day treatment in 'Baekma' was longer at fluorescent lamp 4 hr (54.0 days), 5 hr (53.5 days) NB, and Red LED 5 hr (53.3 days), and it was shortest at Red LED 3 hr (50.2 days) NB treatment among all treatments. The days to flower budding after short-day treatment of 'Jinba' was longer at fluorescent lamp 4 hr (20.6 days) and was shorter at Red LED 3 hr (14.1 days) among all treatments. Similarly, the days to flowering after short-day treatment of 'Jinba' was longer at fluorescent lamp 4 hr (55.3 days) and was shortest at Red LED 3 hr (50.2 days) among all treatments. Therefore, inhibition of flower bud initiation was the most effective under fluorescent lamp 4 hr treatment. The length of cut flower of 'Baekma' was increased by fluorescent lamp 4 hr, 5 hr, and Red LED 5 hr, but of 'Jinba' was longer at LED 4 hr and 5 hr treatment. The weight of cut flower of 'Baekma' was heaviest at fluorescent lamp 5 hr treatment and was at Red LED 5hr treatment for 'Jinba' even though there was not statistically significant difference between 'Baekma' and 'Jinba'. Consequently, under fluorescent lamp 4 hr for night break was the most effective on flower bud initiation, flowering inhibition and cut-flower characteristics in 'Baekma' and 'Jinba'.